


What Lies Ahead

by thesunandthestars



Category: Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Could Be Canon, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, I love this movie and show so freaking much, Love, angst in some chapters but I’m not great at it, new dream fluff!!! it’s my lifeblood, some AU, they’re so underrated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-06-09 20:40:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15275766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesunandthestars/pseuds/thesunandthestars
Summary: That was her favorite part of the whole adventure, Rapunzel realized. Not knowing what would come next, discovering new things at every turn.[A series of one-shots set during Tangled and Tangled: The Series, featuring mostly New Dream (Eugene and Rapunzel).]Newest chapter: Someday - Flynn Rider had seen plenty of strange things in his life. But none of those experiences prepared him to come across a mermaid. An actual mer-freaking-maid.





	1. What Lies Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The caravan has just left Vardaros, and Rapunzel is ready for what lies ahead. Set during season 2, between Goodbye and Goodwill and Forest of No Return.

The sun was high in the sky, a summer breeze was blowing, and Rapunzel’s eyes were glued to the window, the town of Vardaros shrinking with every passing second. The forms of Quaid and Vex were no bigger than ants, but Rapunzel could still make out Quaid’s arm, raised and waving as the caravan departed. 

It had been a very interesting past few days for Rapunzel and her friends. There was a whole new world waiting for Rapunzel outside the Corona walls, and so far she was enjoying every minute of her adventure. Vardaros had a very different atmosphere than Corona and it was slightly uncomfortable at times, but Rapunzel knew she would miss the town and its quirks. The inhabitants had started to grow on her, especially Vex and Quaid. Both were strong and were just what the town needed in terms of law enforcement. And she was going to miss both of them very much. 

As soon as the town and her newfound friends were no longer in sight, Rapunzel hopped down from her perch on the window seat in the back of the caravan and grabbed her journal. Even though the road from Vardaros to who-knows-where offered plenty of views and a lot of inspiration, it was getting hotter outside by the minute and Rapunzel needed somewhere cool to work. She settled into a chair in the living room with her journal and paintbrushes and started painting. 

She had just began to add the finishing touches on a scene of Vardaros with Quaid and Vex out front when Eugene appeared beside her. He leaned in to see what she was working on and placed a kiss on her cheek. “How’s it going, Blondie?”

Rapunzel shot him a smile in return and turned her picture so he could see it more clearly. “Good!” She glanced out the window once more. “I want to remember our adventures in Vardaros. It’s all very inspiring.”

Eugene chuckled. “I can tell.” He took a seat on the arm of the chair Rapunzel was occupying and pointed to a small brown spot in the corner of her painting. “What is that?”

“It’s a gopher,” Rapunzel replied with a sly smile. “I still need to add the eyes, though.” She picked up a paintbrush dipped in black paint. “I wanted to remember how we brought the Goodwill Festival to Vardaros and how much trouble that sneeze-weasel brought us.”

“Oh,” Eugene drawled. “I see. You’re making fun of my art skills.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “In my defense, my drawing was an very accurate portrait of that gopher that they used for Corona’s festival. It’s not my fault that Lance and Hook Foot thought that that sneeze-weasel thing was a gopher by looking at my art.” 

Rapunzel rolled her eyes, giggling. “No offense, but your drawing did not look like Gregorio the Goodwill Gopher. Actually, it didn’t look like a sneeze-weasel either. More like a monster of some sort.”

“ _No offense_? How can I _not_ take offense when my own girlfriend disses my art?” Eugene’s voice was incredulous, but he didn’t look mad.

“I’m just offering you constructive criticism.” Rapunzel dotted the painting twice, adding two small eyes to the gopher. She laughed and shook her head. “For starters, Eugene, gophers don’t have fangs.”

“Gregorio the gopher sure had fangs,” Eugene muttered. 

Rapunzel rolled her eyes again, giving Eugene a small smile. She decided against telling him that Gregorio had “fangs” only because Eugene had given him the wrong kind of berries, and began to add shadows to her painting. Eugene watched over her shoulder from his perch on the arm of the chair, looking rather interested in what Rapunzel was painting. Eugene had expressed many times before how fond of Rapunzel’s art he was, but he had never volunteered to _watch_ her paint before. Maybe he was bored. She wasn’t sure if watching someone else paint would be the best cure for boredom, but maybe Eugene just wanted Rapunzel’s company. 

She set her white paintbrush down after making a wispy cloud and looked up at her boyfriend. He was studying her painting but returned her gaze and gave her a peck on the forehead without warning. In return, Rapunzel slipped her hand into his where it was resting on his knee. Eugene squeezed her hand lightly and then turned toward her as much as he could on the arm of the chair. “You ready to see the world?” he asked softly, grinning at her lovingly. 

“Yes,” she replied, looking down at her journal and tracing one of the buildings she had painted with her free hand. “You mentioned that you frequented Vardaros in the past. Have you ever been on this particular road before?”

Eugene tilted his head slightly. “I believe I have, actually. Why?”

Rapunzel smiled distractedly. “Do you know what lies ahead?”

“Well,” Eugene started, shifting on the arm of the chair, “in terms of geography, there’s a huge forest up ahead. We’ll probably travel through it.” He paused. “In terms of your destiny and whatnot...I don’t know what lies ahead. But I do know that you’ve got Cass, Lance, Hook Foot, and I here with you. And Shorty. And Pascal and Max, of course.”

“I’m glad,” Rapunzel replied. “But a forest! I wonder what kind of wildlife we’ll find.” 

“Supposedly, it’s enchanted.” Eugene waved a hand around like he was telling a story to a child. “I’ve never actually been inside the forest before, but I’ve heard stories.”

Rapunzel‘s eyes widened. “I guess we’ll have to find out.” She squeezed his hand. “Can you tell me a story of one of your trips to Vardaros?”

Surprise flashed across Eugene’s face but he quickly recovered and gave her one of his signature grins. He began telling her about his first time visiting Vardaros and how he and Lance had quite an adventure that day, waving his free hand about as he had done when telling her about the forest. 

While relating the story to her, Eugene brought Rapunzel’s hand to his lap, slightly awkwardly since they were not level with each other, and began tracing her knuckles with absently his free hand. Rapunzel’s stomach warmed and she watched Eugene’s face, laughing at his impressions of the people he and Lance had encountered on that particular adventure. He didn’t seem to fully realize that he was brushing Rapunzel’s hand so very lightly and affectionately, but Rapunzel definitely wasn't complaining. 

The door to the room Eugene shared with the other men opened, and Lance sauntered out. Eugene, animatedly explaining the escape from Vardaros, didn’t seem to notice his friend’s entrance. Lance, noticing how Eugene’s back was turned to him, began to creep up behind his friend with a mischievous grin. Before Rapunzel could warn Eugene, Lance yelled “Boo!” and started laughing hysterically before Eugene even reacted. 

Eugene jumped, eyes as wide as saucers, and fell forward straight onto the chair in which Rapunzel was sitting in. In other words, Eugene fell forward straight onto Rapunzel herself. 

Rapunzel gasped and froze, Eugene sprawled out on top of her. His arms and legs were splayed out at all angles and it did not look very comfortable. Even so, Rapunzel’s skin was on fire where Eugene’s body was touching hers. She wasn’t sure what it meant, and if she was being honest she was kind of embarrassed. Was that a normal reaction to something like her boyfriend laying on top of her? She didn’t know. The first eighteen years of her life were spent in a secluded tower, after all.

Rapunzel found her voice and scolded, “Lance!” but her friend was laughing too hard to hear. 

After a split second, Eugene seemed to realize that he was laying on top of a princess—something that even Rapunzel herself knew was not allowed—and scrambled to get up but fell onto the ground in the process. Lance buckled over with laughter. 

“Eugene!” Rapunzel cried, snapping out of her daze and hopping off the chair to help her boyfriend stand up. She offered him a hand but he waved it off, standing up with a red face he was desperately trying to hide. “Are you okay?” Rapunzel continued, eyeing Eugene worriedly. She straightened his collar and his cheeks flushed again. 

Eugene spun around and glared at Lance. “How was that funny? That was actually kind of painful.”

“Painfully _hilarious_ , yeah,” Lance replied, grinning. “You should see your face right now.”

Eugene huffed and turned back to Rapunzel, now looking worried. “Are you okay? I mean, I’m sorry.”

Rapunzel waved off his concern. “I’m totally fine. Don’t worry.” She paused. “Are _you_ okay? You were kind of...sprawled out everywhere, and it didn’t look comfortable.”

“I’m fine,” Eugene replied. He cleared his throat and gestured to the chair they had been sitting in. “Shall we continue the story?”

“Definitely!” Rapunzel claimed the chair again and Eugene took his perch on the arm. Rapunzel gasped suddenly, an idea coming to her. “What if Lance helped you tell the story? He was there too, so maybe he can help!” She looked back in Lance’s direction to see if he heard her proposal, but he was nowhere in sight. 

Eugene glanced behind him. “Well, he ran off. I guess he just came in here to make my life flash before my eyes and then leave the crime scene.” He rolled his eyes. “Plus, I don’t know if I’d be able to even tell the story with him interrupting and adding details that may or may not be true.”

Rapunzel grinned. “Oh, I’m sure it would be a great story.” She patted Eugene’s knee. “But you can tell it yourself. Continue, please.”

Eugene shot her an amused smile before picking up the story and explaining how he and Lance managed to escape the guards in Vardaros. Rapunzel loved the enthusiasm that Eugene had when telling stories. It didn’t matter what kind—escapes, heists, or even Flynnigan Rider tales. Eugene filled each and every one with action, fun, and comedy. This made it hard for Rapunzel to pick a favorite. 

Even though the story Eugene was telling was far from boring, Rapunzel found herself getting distracted. There was so much waiting for her outside, and she was bursting with anticipation. The enchanted forest Eugene told her about? She was dying to see that. After all, magic didn’t sound crazy to a girl with seventy feet of previously magic hair. 

Later that night, when everyone had retired to their rooms, Rapunzel plucked her journal off her bedside table and opened to the next blank page. Her journal already had many paintings from her adventures outside of Corona, but there was one thing she hadn’t drawn yet: the enchanted forest. True, she hadn’t actually _seen_ it yet, but she put her imagination to a test and painted all that she could picture an enchanted forest to be. 

The whole page was full of trees that stretched to the sky and a layer of golden dust floating like the lanterns Rapunzel saw from her window every year. Flamboyant birds peeked out from behind the trees. In front of the forest were Rapunzel and her friends, Eugene’s arm around her and Cass’s hand on her shoulder. Lance and Hook Foot stood on either side of the three of them, Shorty sitting in front of the whole crew with a huge smile on his face. Max was standing valiantly next to Lance, Pascal on his head. 

With her calligraphy brush, Rapunzel wrote, _I can’t wait to see the enchanted forest Eugene described. Who knows what kind of adventures are waiting for us there?_ across the top of the painting and set her journal back on the bedside table to dry. 

That was her favorite part of the whole adventure, Rapunzel realized. Not knowing what would come next, discovering new things at every turn. Of course, being alongside the people she loved most made it all the better. 

With pictures of enchanted forests swirling in her mind Rapunzel drifted off into a deep sleep, ready for whatever the next day would have in store for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading! i hope you enjoyed!
> 
> anyone who wants to scream about Tangled and TTS with me can go ahead and do so in the comments. i’m more than happy to rant about how amazing, sweet, and gorgeous Eugene is or how utterly beautiful and painful Beyond the Corona Walls was. yeah, i’m still not over it. :)


	2. I’d Let Him See Inside My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel reflects on the night before, and almost losing her new dream. Said new dream shows up to comfort her. Set during season 2, right after Beyond the Corona Walls.

Rapunzel sighed quietly, rolling onto her side and opening her eyes. It was impossible to sleep with the memories of the past few days flitting through her mind. Her journey outside of Corona had been better than anything she could have imagined until a little bit more than a day before, when she’d stumbled on Eugene practicing his proposal for her. That part was fine, though, and the awkwardness only lasted a few minutes. It was when Eugene, Lance, and Shorty had been captured and Eugene got engaged to the Baron’s daughter against his will and Rapunzel’s heart was shattered andー

She forced the thoughts away, focusing her gaze on the door that separated her and Cassandra’s room from Eugene, Lance, and Hook Foot’s. She wanted to talk to someone but she doubted anyone else was awake. Judging by the rhythmic breathing coming from the bunk below her, Cassandra was sound asleep. Rapunzel didn’t think that it would make sense to talk to Lance or Hook Foot about Eugene, since neither of them really knew her all that well. And Eugene himself...she wanted to talk to him, but wasn’t sure how to. They’d talked briefly after the almost-wedding and Eugene assured her that he would wait for her to be ready to marry him, but she was still torn. There was still a tiny part of her that wished that when she stumbled into the caravan and seen him holding that ring, she’d said yes. 

Rapunzel climbed down the ladder, deciding to head into the living room of the caravan and add to her journal. She held an arm out for Pascal, who left his perch on the nightstand near the bunks and crawled up onto Rapunzel’s shoulder. 

The living room was dark, aside from the moonlight filtering in through the window. Journal in hand and a paintbrush with it, Rapunzel crept toward the door of the caravan, hoping to clear her thoughts outside. She pushed the door open soundlessly and almost jumped when she noticed the figure on the porch of the caravan.

Eugene was sitting with his legs dangling over the porch, outlined by the pale moonlight. He was staring at his hands, twisting a small object between his fingers. The object caught the moonlight and Rapunzel found that she was staring at the ring she’d been presented with twice already.

She watched him as he continued to twirl the ring in his fingers, knowing he was lost in thought. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about. Her? His failed proposals? Almost marrying Stalyan? Or a mix of all three?

She wanted to go to him, but she was hesitant. There was still some tension between them even though they’d talked briefly after Rapunzel, Cass, and Hook Foot had crashed the wedding. Rapunzel wanted desperately to break down the walls that had formed between them from her uncertainty and his embarrassment, but she wasn’t sure where to start.

Rapunzel took a few steps forward, knowing that to work everything out with Eugene she had to take action. Her shadow fell over Eugene and he whipped his head toward her, startled, but his shoulders dropped in relief when he saw it was just his girlfriend. He quickly placed the ring back in the box and hid it from her view.

“Oh,” Eugene started, a grin appearing on his face. “It’s you. I thought for a second Cassandra had come to kill me and dump my body somewhere. I’m sure she works best at night, what with her best friend being an owl or whatever.”

Rapunzel rolled her eyes but gave him a smile of her own. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t do that,” she replied, walking over to him and tentatively sitting next to him. Pascal crawled down her arm to rest on the deck.

“Couldn’t sleep?” This close, Rapunzel could see the flecks of gold in Eugene’s otherwise brown eyes. She shook her head in reply. “Me neither,” he murmured.

They sat in silence, Rapunzel gazing at the moon and the world at night. It was so different than the view from her window in the palace. She preferred this one, though, because it seemed more peaceful and undisturbed than the dozens of houses she was used to looking upon.

She could feel Eugene’s gaze on her every so often, and she wondered if he was still thinking about marrying her. Rapunzel realized the thought was not so far off from what _she_ had been thinking just a few minutes before. Her cheeks reddened unexpectedly. If Eugene saw this, he didn’t mention it. 

“I wanted to talk to you,” Rapunzel started, finally gathering up the courage. She wasn’t sure why it was so hard to talk to him all of a sudden. Maybe it was because they were both too stubborn to admit how much pain they were in. “About what happened yesterday.”

He didn’t look up, however, and it seemed like he was avoiding her gaze. She felt bad for bringing it up, when it was obvious how uncomfortable it made both of them feel, but she had to know how he was feeling. She had to know _why_ he gave in and didn’t try to fight back when the Baron had announced his and Stalyan’s engagement to the townspeople. She had to know what he was thinking about in the hours between his capture and the wedding. 

Tears started to blur her vision. “Eugene…”

He looked up then, eyes softening when he noticed the tears in her eyes. His hand twitched and he brushed the tears away that were threatening to fall, as if seeing her cry would break him. Maybe it would, she thought. 

Rapunzel took a deep breath and looked down at her hands, squeezing her eyes shut. “I-I thought I’d lost you.”

She heard Eugene’s sharp inhale, like the memories of the night before suddenly began rushing back. She could tell he was remembering being forced to marry Stalyan and the wedding looming closer and closer. It was ironic, Rapunzel realized, because Eugene _had_ wanted to get married. Just not to Stalyan, a woman who he hadn’t seen in years and was happy to forget. He’d wanted to marry Rapunzel, and yet he had been locked in a dungeon hoping that he’d find a way out. While Rapunzel had been heartbroken herself, she couldn’t imagine what Eugene had been thinking. She had rejected his proposal for the second time and he had probably been wondering what he had been doing wrong. 

If only Rapunzel could go back in time and assure him it wasn’t about him. She _wanted_ to marry Eugene. Just not quite yet.

There was a lengthy silence before Eugene placed a hand over hers. “Never.” 

Rapunzel shook her head vigorously, trying to push away the pain she was remembering. “When you were gone, it was...it was horrible. I don’t know what I would’ve done if…”

“Rapunzel,” Eugene started, voice soft. His arms encircled her and pulled her close until she was practically in his lap. She was happy to lean against him. “No matter what happens, we’ll always find a way back to each other. Always. My heart belongs to you, and you alone.”

Just like that, the walls between them crumbled. A sob escaped Rapunzel’s mouth, and her hand flew up to her mouth to conceal it. Eugene’s arms tightened protectively around her. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’ll all be okay.”

Rapunzel sniffed and shifted so that she was pressed closer against Eugene’s chest and her head was under his chin. She could tell he was searching for something to say, but she was perfectly happy to sit in silence and think.

A voice in her head told her to wipe away her tears, pick herself up, and be brave, but she was too exhausted to listen. Crying was perfectly normal, she told herself. She didn’t _always_ have to be the strong and confident princess she’d been easing into the role of over the last year. She knew Eugene would never judge her for breaking down and she was content in letting him hold her together while she needed it. 

“Blondie,” Eugene started, but then quickly corrected himself. “Rapunzel.” Rapunzel knew why he had done so. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the nicknameーshe liked it a lot, as a matter of factーbut this was a serious conversation and using her given name sounded a lot more serious. “I want you to know that none of it was your fault. I don’t blame you for not accepting my proposal.” He paused, and she peeked up at him to find that his eyes were closed. “Marrying me would mean an end to our journey following the rocks, since we would have to go back to Corona for the wedding, and I know how important it is to you to discover your destiny. I’m ready to follow you wherever your heart leads you.”

Rapunzel wove her arms around him once again and squeezed slightly, thanking him silently. It didn’t feel like a show of appreciation that matched how grateful she really was for Eugene and how understanding he was, so she straightened and leaned her forehead against his. “I love you,” she whispered.

He hummed in response, and Rapunzel quickly brought her lips to his. The spark inside of her that she had quickly identified as her love for Eugene ignited, and she ran her fingers through his hair. Eugene gasped into her mouth, surprised, but quickly recuperated, lips moving against hers and arms pulling her closer. 

An image of Stalyan made its way into her mind, calling Eugene _Flynn Rider_ and saying that he was meant to be with _her_. Rapunzel kissed Eugene harder, trying to push the image away. In the back of her mind, she wished Stalyan was there to see that Eugene was _Rapunzel’s_ boyfriend and the one that he wanted to kiss. The one that he would die for and the one he wanted to marry. She pictured Stalyan looking horrified and she almost laughed out loud. 

Rapunzel leaned forward even more, pressing up against Eugene, and suddenly she felt herself falling forward. Eugene hit the floor of the porch below her and she followed, toppling over onto his chest. She winced, knowing that she had been a little too carried away, but Eugene merely stared at her, looking a little flustered. After a second, his signature grin slid into place. “Wow,” he started. “What were you thinking about? Let me guess”ーhe winkedー“me?”

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow, blushing slightly. “Well, you’re not wrong.” She propped herself up on her elbows and looked straight into his eyes. Those gorgeous, golden-brown eyes. “I was thinking about kissing you in front of Stalyan and how much she’d hate that.” She allowed herself a tiny grin. 

Eugene’s eyes widened, and after a beat he chuckled. “Feeling protective, huh?”

Rapunzel’s cheeks flushed again and her gaze wandered down to his collar. She ran a finger over the hem. “I just...kissing you was supposed to be a form of thanks. For supporting me and understanding me.”

Eugene gently lifted her chin with one finger so that she would look into his eyes again. He grinned mischievously. “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if you kissed me every time you wanted to thank me. And any other occasion you can think of.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rapunzel replied, a small smile playing on her lips. She realized that she was still lying on top of Eugene and she moved off of him quickly, cheeks flaming. Technically, she was still the princess of Corona and lying on top of someone was definitely not allowed, even if it was her boyfriend. Most princesses didn’t even have boyfriends, her mother had explained. They had suitors trying to win them over. If she and Eugene hadn’t already been “attached at the hip”, as Cass would say, Rapunzel’s life in Corona probably would have gone in a similar direction to that of those other princesses.

“We’re alone, Blondie,” Eugene said, voice low. Both of them scooted back to lean against the wall of the caravan. “Right now, we don’t have to act like the perfect and proper royal couple that we are.” He puffed out his chest, and Rapunzel giggled. 

“But this porch isn’t exactly private, Eugene. Someone could come out here,” she said, glancing at the door.

Eugene raised an eyebrow, grinning. “In the middle of the night? I doubt anyone else is awake.” His arms wound around her again. “Plus, it’s not like we’re doing anything that we shouldn’t be doing.”

“If my parents were here, they’d tell us to go back to bed. They trust you, but…” Rapunzel looked down at her hands. “I’m not supposed to be outside at night with anyone. Cass already got in trouble for that.”

“It’s not like I’m going to try anything.” Eugene took her hands in his. “Cass would probably chop my head off or something, and I’m rather fond of my head.”

“I’m aware,” Rapunzel replied, smiling a little. She scooted closer to Eugene, leaning up against him. His warmth was soothing, and Rapunzel started to doze off in his embrace. Eugene sighed contently and leaned further back against the caravan, seeming like he was ready to fall asleep as well. There was a special comfort to being close to Eugene, one that she couldn’t find anywhere else. 

She started to drift off, completely forgetting she was outside in the arms of her boyfriendーwho she was not supposed to be with at night for whatever reason. It was more comfortable than her bed in the caravan anyway, and gave her a sense of protection that she couldn’t get even from being in a caravan with her best friend and protector sleeping in the bunk under hers. 

The next time she opened her eyes she was looking straight at the door opposite her bed, the morning light streaming in through the windows. Rapunzel realized that Eugene must have carried her back to her room at some point the night before, and she smiled at the thought. He was a lot more gentle and caring than he admitted. 

Rolling over to find Pascal on the pillow next to her, Rapunzel grinned. “Time for our next adventure, huh.”

Pascal nodded and squeaked in reply. Rapunzel scooped him up in one hand and climbed down the ladder of her bed with another. 

Rapunzel knew the road ahead would be rough. There was no question about it. But with her friends by her side, she thought, there was nothing she couldn’t handle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one took me a while to write, since i haven’t written very much angst (i prefer fluff, if i’m being honest ;w;). still, weeks later, i’m thinking about Beyond the Corona Walls. i absolutely loved it, but it also made me want to bawl my eyes out. Tangled: The Series tends to do that to me. 
> 
> again, i’m more than happy to talk about Tangled in the comments. both the movie and the show have special places in my heart and i’ll love them forever. 
> 
> enjoy! :)


	3. You're Not Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene was no stranger to the nightmares that had plagued him since that fateful day in the tower, but he managed to keep them to himself. This time, however, he found himself seeking comfort from a certain blonde princess. Set after Freebird and before Vigor the Visionary.

_“Rapunzel?”_

_She was looking at him with little beady black eyes, head tilted. She hopped once on the floor of the golden cage she was trapped in, the little door vanishing before his eyes._

_Someone behind him laughed, and Eugene whipped around. Stalyan approached him and ran a hand down his arm. He flinched away from her touch._

_“Oh, Flynn,” Stalyan drawled, and Eugene opened his mouth to tell her, once again, that his name was_ Eugene, _not Flynn, but no words came out. “Your poor, perfect princess has turned into a bird. Forever. What a shame.” Stalyan grinned, and the little Rapunzel bird and her cage vanished. Now it was only Stalyan, and her words were stabbing Eugene in the heart. “Now we can be together, Flynn. It’s meant to be.”_

Eugene woke with a start, shooting up to a sitting position and taking a steadying breath. The world materialized around himーhis sheets pushed onto the floor, Lance’s obnoxious snoring, the pale moonlight trickling in through the window over his head. The image of Stalyan faded from his mind, but her words burned a mark in his heart. _It’s meant to be._

Rapunzel made her way into his thoughts once more and Eugene stood quickly, throat dry. Without even bothering to put on his shoes or doublet, he slipped out of the boys’ room and into Rapunzel and Cass’s. He headed straight to the ladder leading up to Rapunzel’s bunk, pausing only when he saw an unfinished painting of himself sitting on the easel under her bunk. He smiled to himself and then climbed up her ladder carefully, hoping that Cass didn’t wake and wonder why in the world he was climbing into Rapunzel’s bed at an ungodly hour. Or at all, since they both knew he’d get in trouble if Rapunzel’s parents ever thought he was doing something even remotely inappropriate.

He stopped on the last rung of the ladder. Rapunzel was fast asleep, and Eugene marveled at how peaceful she looked, bathed in moonlight. Her hair was splayed about, cascading over the edges of the bed and curling onto the floor. The sheets were twisted around her ankles, obviously discarded at some point when she had gotten too hot. Her nightdress was pushed up and exposed her knees and a bit of thigh, which made Eugene’s breath catch. 

She looked _magical_.

Then again, that was no surprise. She _was_ magical. Even though her hair apparently no longer had its legendary healing powers, she was the new sun drop flower. Not to mention the fact that her hair was unbreakable, as far as they knew. 

He supposed he looked sort of creepy, standing over the princess and staring. And it didn’t help that the sight of her bare legs was making his mind wander in what was not exactly princess-friendly territory. 

Realizing that he had done what he wanted to doーmake sure Rapunzel was okayーEugene climbed down the ladder and started to leave the room. Not noticing how close he was to the bedside table, his foot rammed into it with a _thump_. He gasped, pain shooting up his leg. 

Behind him, Rapunzel made a noise and shifted. Eugene whipped around, hoping that he hadn’t woken her. 

“Eugene?” she whispered, sitting up and giving him a sleepy smile. 

Eugene winced. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” He took a step closer and he brushed the ladder with his hand. “I...just wanted to check on you.” Every time he had a nightmare regarding Rapunzel, his first instinct was to make sure she was okay. Normally he was able to stop himself from going to her in the middle of the night, but this time had been different. The nightmare had felt all too real. 

“Oh.” Rapunzel’s forehead creased slightly, like it did when she was trying to determine if he was telling her the whole story. He knew that she was seeing right through him. 

“Rapunzel,” Eugene started, and she patted the spot next to her. He climbed back up and scooted over to her, now hoping even more that Cass was sound asleep. Rapunzel placed her hands over his. “This whole adventure to follow your destinyーit was supposed to be perfect. It’s your first time out of Corona, after all.” He sighed heavily and Rapunzel looked like she wanted to cut in, but Eugene continued. “But so far, so many things have gone wrong. I almost got married to someone else, you almost got turned into a bird forever…”

 _It’s meant to be_ , Stalyan’s voice echoed in his head.

“Eugene,” Rapunzel said, squeezing his hand, “it doesn’t have to be _perfect_. I don’t want it to be perfect. The only thing I could possibly want is adventure with the people I love most, and I have that.” She gave him one of her signature Rapunzel Smiles, and his heart melted. 

Her expression suddenly turned serious, however, and Eugene realized he was not doing a very good job of hiding his emotions. Rapunzel looked at him worriedly. “Something’s bothering you, Eugene,” she said softly, and Eugene’s gaze dropped to his lap. He didn’t want to push his problems onto her, knowing that she had enough to worry about. 

“You can tell me,” Rapunzel assured him, waiting patiently for his reply. 

Eugene sighed, realizing it was pointless to keep his nightmares from her. “I started having nightmares after we moved into the castle. Mostly of what would have happened to you if...if you hadn’t saved me.” He took a deep breath and dared himself to look in Rapunzel’s eyes. The familiarity of themーbright, green, and full of understandingーgave him courage. “But lately it’s been about losing you in a different way: you turning into a bird forever or me marrying Stalyan. Or both, like the dream I just had was.”

He had been so focused on the love in her eyes that he hadn’t noticed a single tear slip down her cheek. She brushed the tear away with the back of her hand and then leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face under his chin. He gladly returned the embrace, leaning them against the wall with his arms locked around her waist. 

“I want you to know that you’re not alone,” Rapunzel murmured into his ear, shifting her head. “I have nightmares sometimes, too.” She lifted her head up and looked straight into his eyes, her face only inches from Eugene’s. “You can tell me anything, Eugene, and I’ll do my best to help.”

Eugene sighed heavily, grateful that his girl was so compassionate and understanding. It was a miracle, honestly, that finding a secluded tower and climbing up it only to be knocked out would lead him to a life with his princess/best friend/girlfriend/love of his life by his side.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Rapunzel’s cheeks flushed and she gave him a sweet smile. Her eyes flickered to his lips once, very briefly, but Eugene caught it and bit back a smile. He knew what that meant. 

Slowly, he closed the distance between them. His pulse quickened the instant their lips touched, and he felt her melt against him. Rapunzel sighed against his lips and her hands found his collar, pulling him closer. He cradled her face in one hand and tilted it slightly to deepen the kiss, and her fingers tightened on his collar. 

After a moment, he pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers. Her hands were still clutching his collar, and her lips were slightly pinker than usual.

Rapunzel yawned suddenly, and gave Eugene another small smile. He gave her one of his own in return. She leaned back, still in his arms, and looked down at her hands like she wanted to say something but was unsure of what exactly to say.

“We should get back to sleep,” Eugene said, breaking the silence. Rapunzel looked back up at him and nodded, but she didn’t let go of him. 

“Will you…” Rapunzel trailed off, her cheeks tinged with pink. “Will you please stay?”

Eugene sucked in a breath, preparing to remind her that he wasn’t allowed to, but she grabbed his hands and pulled him close. “It might help with the nightmares,” she continued. “Knowing that I’m right here.”

“You know I’m not supposed to,” he replied, regretting every word.

She tilted his chin up so he would look into her eyes. “Please,” she whispered.

With one quick glance in Cass’s direction, who was thankfully still asleep, he gave in and nodded. Rapunzel pulled away from him and laid down, holding an arm out for him. Hesitantly, Eugene joined her, pulling the sheets up over them. His arms wrapped around her and she relaxed against him, burying her face in his chest. 

It felt so natural to lay there with her, even though it was the first time. Holding her in his arms had always felt right, after all. 

“Eugene?” she whispered after a lengthy silence, peeking up at him.

“Blondie,” he replied, and he caught a ghost of a smile on her lips.

She scooted upwards just enough that her head could rest in the crook of his neck. “I love you too,” she whispered against his skin.

They lay there, together, the world around them calm and quiet. Eugene focused on Rapunzel’s even breathing and closed his eyes, assuring himself that he was ready to face whatever nightmares came his way.

And this time, he wasn’t afraid to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait, and thank you so much for reading! i hope you liked this chapter, i'm pretty proud of it. ;w; i started it a few days before the newest episode, vigor the visionary, came out, so it takes place before that.
> 
> for all y'all series nerds: i absolutely LOVED vigor the visionary oh mygod!! the facial expressions were hilarious and made everything so much funnier, and there was so much great new dream asdfghjkl. and my darlings angry and red were back!! i hope we see them again soon, i miss them already.


	4. She's Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's coronation is approaching, and she's full of uncertainty about her future as princess. However, Eugene might know just what to say to ease her conscience. Set between Tangled and Tangled Before Ever After.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: it was pointed out that Eugene didn't start teaching the guards until a few episodes into the series. i shifted the timeline of this chapter a few times while writing, and this bit must've completely slipped my mind. ignore the fact that that one detail is not canon, and enjoy! ;w;

Eugene flicked a lock of hair, watching it jump and rest against his forehead in the perfect place. He turned his head, looking left and then right, examining his hair in the mirror. Satisfied with his look, he set his comb on the sink and gave his reflection finger-guns and a charming smile. 

“Perfect,” he said to himself and whipped around, shoulders back and head held high. Eugene always looked and felt good in the morningーhe didn’t use all of those lotions, exfoliants, and creams for nothing.

Today was one of his days off from his class with the Corona guardーthe How To Think Like A Thief class he taughtーso he made his way to Rapunzel’s room to check up on her. She was usually busy with princess duties and such, but the king and queen gave her time off occasionally and Eugene knew Rapunzel liked to spend most of her free time with him. Or with her best-friend-slash-lady-in-waiting Cassandra, whom Eugene did not like very much. He did his best to avoid her as much as possible.

The doors to Rapunzel’s bedchambers were wide open, and Eugene stopped in the doorway to scan the room for his girlfriend. Rapunzel was nowhere in sight, however, and the fact that the curtains were still closed meant that Rapunzel had skipped out of the room the moment she woke up. The guards that usually stood outside her bedchambers when she was inside were missing as wellーanother clue that Rapunzel had gotten up early to start her day, since her guards followed her everywhere. Eugene took one last look at the room and made to head back down the endless winding stairs to see if the princess was out in the gardens. 

Cassandra was standing a few doors down from Rapunzel’s room, her back to Eugene. She was wearing her blue lady-in-waiting dress, so Eugene knew she was busy with something related to her palace duties. 

“Cassandra,” he started as he approached her. She glanced behind her before turning back to the vase of flowers she was arranging on a table outside what Eugene remembered to be an empty guest room.

“Eugene,” she greeted, and he was surprised that her tone did not have its usual bite. Maybe she was too distracted by her job to care that they didn’t particularly like each other. 

He shrugged off his thoughts and tugged on his collar. “Have you seen Rapunzel recently?”

“No, actually.” She paused. “But I’m glad to see you’re finally willing to accept other people’s help, Mr. I-know-everything.” Her words were followed by an eye roll. 

Eugene chuckled. “ _There’s_ the Cass I know.” He started to make his way toward the end of the hallway where the stairs started. “Thanks anyway,” he called over his shoulder, slightly sarcastically, almost missing Cass’s second eye roll of the day. 

The section of the castle that contained Rapunzel’s bedchambers was a large tower with a winding staircase that surprisingly took more effort than it seemed. Eugene was used to the climb, though, after nearly six months of walking up and down it several times a day to see Rapunzel. This time, he made it down in record time and headed for the double doors leading to the castle gardens. 

Eugene strolled out into the courtyard, turning right at the fountain. Rapunzel had been visiting the gardens more and more frequently, and so it had become one of the spots Eugene checked when looking for Rapunzel. 

Surprisingly, after looking for what felt like forever, Eugene could not find the princess anywhere in the green expanse of gardens, nor did he find a clue as to if she had been there at some point that morning. He hurried around a huge bush trimmed to look like a horseーwith a striking resemblance to Maximusーand almost smacked right into the king himself.

King Frederic placed both hands on Eugene’s shoulders, steadying them both. “Sorry,” Eugene stammered quickly, still not entirely used to being in the presence of royalty every day.

Frederic chuckled lightly. “It’s all right, son.” He glanced behind Eugene, eyes scanning the gardens. “Have you seen Rapunzel this morning?”

“Actually, I’ve been looking for her,” Eugene replied. “She isn’t up in her room or in the gardens.”

Frederic nodded slowly, taking in the information. He clasped his hands behind his back. “If you find her, could you please remind her that she is needed at ten o’clock sharp to get her dress fitted for her upcoming coronation? Friedborg and Cassandra will be waiting for her in her bedchambers.”

Eugene’s head bobbed and Frederic offered him a satisfied smile before turning in the opposite direction he was originally headed. Eugene wasn’t sure if he’d given up the search for Rapunzel after discovering that Eugene was already looking for said princess, but the king disappeared back into the palace and Eugene started for the next possible hiding place: Rapunzel’s studio.

The studio was not far from Rapunzel’s room, but since Eugene had crossed the entire castle to look for Rapunzel in the gardens, it meant that he had to cross the entire castle _again_. He didn’t really mind the walk, however. He did this sort of thing every day, as a matter of factーsearching the castle for Rapunzel and spending time with her before some guard or handmaiden came to whisk Rapunzel off to some class or other princess related thing. 

The door to Rapunzel’s studio was wide open, like that of her bedchambers, and Eugene spotted a familiar pair of feet underneath one of the easels. Rapunzel’s head appeared to the side of the easel a moment later, evidently hearing his footsteps approach. Her guards were nowhere in sight, surprisingly. “Eugene!” she greeted, stepping to the side of her easel with a paintbrush in hand.

“Hey, Blondie,” Eugene replied, grinning at the stripe of orange on her cheek and the pink dripping from her short brown locks. Deciding not to question how on earth paint had gotten into her _hair_ , he strolled up to her easel and kissed her forehead in greeting. “What’re you up to today?”

“Painting,” she replied, shooting him a look that said, _obviously_ , before returning his grin. “I woke up at dawn this morning to paint the sunrise. It was the most beautiful one I think I’ve ever seen!” She gestured to her easel, where a sky full of pink and orange clouds was laid across the canvas.

“I bet,” Eugene replied, entranced by the realisticness of her painting. He was amazed at how talented she was at painting for someone who was self-taught. He knew he wasn’t the only one who thought soーRapunzel’s painting instructor himself had originally believed that the princess had been kidnapped by some professional painter eighteen years before and had acquired all of her knowledge from said professional. Rapunzel was insistent, however, that she had taught herself simply by looking at something and then painting it until she was satisfied.

Rapunzel added a dark streak across the bottom of the canvas, and it gradually became a mountain range. She didn’t seem frazzled by Eugene practically standing over her shoulderーhe supposed she was used to her painting instructor watching her carefully and didn’t mind someone watching her as she worked. 

“Where did you see the sunset from?” Eugene asked, trying to picture her painting in real life. He assumed the mountains on the bottom were the ones visible from Rapunzel’s balcony, but the balcony also overlooked the majority of the kingdom and Rapunzel hadn’t added any buildings to her painting.

“My balcony,” she replied, not once looking up from her painting. “I’m not going to add the kingdom, though, because I want to paint as much of the sky as possible,” she added, as if reading his mind.

She continued to add little streaks here and there, creating shadows over the mountains and blending the colors of the sky together. Eugene was surprised at how well she was able to remember what the sky had looked likeーor at least, what he assumed it had looked like. He hadn’t actually seen it himself, since he had decided to sleep in and take advantage of his day off from working with the guards.

Rapunzel didn’t have a day off, though, and he had completely forgot to remind her of this. “Your dad asked me to remind you of your dress fitting today,” Eugene said regrettably, wishing that she could be free of things to do for just one day. 

“Right,” Rapunzel replied, sighing. She tilted her head to examine the painting, and after a moment she set the paintbrush down on the easel and stepped back. She eyed the grandfather clock in the corner of the studio and sighed again. “I have ten minutes to be in my room.”

Disappointment and nervousness flashed across Rapunzel’s face, and it tugged at Eugene’s heart. He knew exactly why she was reluctant to get her coronation dress fittedーshe was dreading her coronation, as she had told him a few days before. She had explained how she wasn’t sure how to be a princessーafter all, she hadn’t grown up taking etiquette classes and all that. Even after almost six months in the palace, she knew very little about a princess’s role in a kingdom. “I’m afraid to disappoint someone,” she had admitted.

Eugene knew what that felt like. He wanted to prove to the king and queen that he wasn’t the same man that had stolen their daughter’s crown. He was the man that had stolen their daughter’s heart, instead, and she had stolen his heart in return.

His fingers brushed Rapunzel’s hand in a comforting gesture and she slipped her hand into his. “Hey,” he started softly, squeezing her hand. She looked up at him, offering him a small smile, and squeezed back. “Don’t worry about your coronation. Don’t worry about impressing anyone or disappointing anyone. Just be yourself, and show the kingdom how great of a princess you are going to be.”

Rapunzel smiled weakly, doubt still written across her face. She took a deep breath, in and out, and straightened her shoulders determinedly. _That’s my girl_ , Eugene thought. “Thank you,” she replied, standing on her tiptoes to grant him a kiss on the cheek. 

“Anytime, Blondie,” he responded, before wiping the paint off her cheek with a laugh. “Before you leave, though, let’s get this paint off of you.” He ran his fingers through her hair, paint dripping onto the ground.

Rapunzel’s hand flew up to her hair and came away pink. She stared at her hand. “Oh,” she said, giggling a little. A few more drops of paint fell to the ground, one landing on her foot. She bent down to wipe it away.

Rapunzel grabbed his hand once more and led him to the little sink opposite her easel, putting her hands under the flow of water and watching as the water turned pink. Eugene rinsed the paint off of his hands as well and removed the last few streaks of paint from Rapunzel’s face and hair. They took turns wiping their wet hands off on each other, eliciting laughs from both of them.

“Ready?” Eugene asked, once their hands were dry. He grinned encouragingly at her, their fingers laced together once more.

Rapunzel nodded, shooting him a determined smile. He knew that her uncertainty hadn’t completely melted away with his words, but knowing that he believed in her so completely would definitely help her when her coronation rolled around. She was possibly the strongest person he had ever met, and that was not an easy title to earn.

Looking into those huge emerald green eyes, Eugene was glad to see that that fierce, ever-present determination that he had grown so fond of hadn’t faded one bit. 

“Ready,” she declared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY FITZPANCAKE DAY, TANGLED FANS!!! while this fic never once mentions Eugene eating pancakes (too bad!), i finished it yesterday and thought it would be perfect to post it on a Tangled fandom holiday! for those of you who have no idea what i'm talking about when i say Fitzpancake Day, it's a meme-turned-holiday that was started by the Tangled fandom grannies and then resurrected when the series was announced. 
> 
> as for Happiness Is..., which came out today: i thought it was really cute omg!! i loved all the precious new dream moments and overall it was really fun to watch!!! may i just say, i really liked that part at the end where rapunzel, eugene, and cass destroy the idol bc their hair was blowing around and it looked really cool lol. ;w;
> 
> super sorry for the delay in posting, i've been having some writer's block. also, school starts back up again in a few days, so i might not post again for a while. thanks so so much for reading and for all the wonderful comments! i'm super glad that you all are enjoying my work <3


	5. What Love Looks Like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene takes Rapunzel on a do-over date, and they reflect on the disagreement they had a few days before. Set between There's Something About Hook Foot and Happiness Is...

The sun was full and hot overhead, and Rapunzel dragged a hand across her forehead to wipe away the beads of sweat that were gathering. Pascal was perched on the arm of the chaise lounge chair Rapunzel was sitting in, happily basking in the midday sun. 

To Rapunzel’s left, Lance was fast asleep in the other chair, soaking in the sun and snoring. Rapunzel and her friends were staying in the shelter the girls and Max had built until they could fix the caravan. It had gotten practically blown apart in the storm, and they were fixing it a little bit every day, stopping only to explore the island or take shelter from the blazing sun.

The journal in Rapunzel’s hand was already full of paintings of the scenery around Tirapai Islandーflowers, trees, beaches, and the like. Her latest drawing, however, was of the mermaid Seraphina. She had noticed how drastically Hook Foot’s mood had changed since Seraphina had been taken away, and Rapunzel wanted something to remember her by. She had never seen Hook Foot as happy as he had been after meeting the mermaid, and Rapunzel didn’t ever want to forget the pure joy he wore on his face or the way he did everything he could to impress Seraphina.

Rapunzel set her journal on the table beside her to dry, careful to keep it open. The golden sand and the crisp blue water she could see from her perch was inviting, but Rapunzel laid back in the chair, letting the waves of heat wash over her. She loved the sunーits blanket of warmth and the way it felt on her skin. She felt a special connection to it, and it was not only because of her hair and the fact that she was the sun drop. It made her feel comforted, its arms wrapping around her tightly in a semblance of a hug. 

Rapunzel’s gaze fell to the beach, focusing on the quiet lapping of the waves on the shore. Her eyes fluttered shut.

“Blondie!”

She snapped into an upright position, eyes flying open. Eugene was standing in front of her, arms outstretched. Surprise flashed across his face from her reaction before his features dropped in guilt. “I didn’t realize you were asleep.”

Rapunzel waved off his concern. “It’s fine,” she promised. “What is it?”

Eugene glanced at his feet quickly, in a rare moment of hesitation. “I was just wondering if you’d like to go somewhere? Just you and me?”

Rapunzel couldn’t help the sly grin that turned her lips upward. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Do you want it to be a date?” Eugene asked, matching her grin.

She laughed, and held her hand out for him. He pulled her up quickly and she gasped, losing her balance, but his arms steadied her. Her body warmed where it was pressed against his, and she felt her face flush. If Eugene noticed, he didn’t say anything.

“I thought I could make it up to you, since on our last date we ended up having to babysit a monkey,” Eugene explained. “And what’s more romantic than a tropical island?” He shot her a huge grin, wiggling his eyebrows, and she laughed.

“Do you have anything planned?” Rapunzel asked with a smile, still leaning against her boyfriend’s chest.

Eugene paused. “Not really,” he admitted. “But I have plenty of ideas.”

Rapunzel reached for his hand, and he was quick to lace his fingers through hers. “Lead the way.”

\--

“Oh my gosh, Eugene!”

Rapunzel twirled in a full circle, taking in the dim light of the cave and the inviting sparkle of the water pooling in the middle. Light spilled out of a hole in the top of the cave and bathed the island below it. Rapunzel giggled and dipped a bare toe in the water, relishing the chill. “This is where we set up Hook Foot and Seraphina’s date!”

Eugene smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, obviously pleased with her reaction. Even so, the smile didn’t completely meet his eyes. Rapunzel knew he was thinking about the abrupt and final end to Hook Foot and Seraphina’s happiness. “I know. I thought we could have a do-over date here, if it’s not too hard for you.” He let out a slow breath. “I know you wish things could have ended differently with Hook Foot and Seraphina.”

Rapunzel turned back to him and gave him a small, encouraging smile before turning back to the water. “It’s all right. But thank you for understanding.” 

“Of course,” Eugene replied, taking her hand in his and following her gaze to the water. He cleared his throat, and Rapunzel felt his eyes on her once more. “And I’m sorry about arguing with you during the date. We just have different ideas of what love looks like, I guess.”

Rapunzel’s gaze dropped to her feet. “I guess we do. You have a lot more experience in romance and all that than I do, understandably.”

Eugene shrugged. “Romance, sure. But being in love is different. Before I met you, I had never fallen in love before.”

Rapunzel looked up at him, focusing on the golden-brown warmth of his eyes. “I know how that feels.” Eugene gave her a cheeky grin, and she bit back a giggle.

“And…” Eugene began, seeming like he was unsure about what he wanted to say. “I want you to know that just because we don’t always see eye to eye doesn’t mean something’s _wrong_ with our relationship. Disagreeing with each other isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s natural.” He shifted from one foot to the other, and Rapunzel thought she detected a bit of red on his cheeks. “I love you, Rapunzel,” he added after a pause, making eye contact once more. 

Rapunzel smiled, heat creeping up into her own cheeks. She loved that Eugene let his softer side take control when they were together. It showed just how far they had come since he had first woken up, tied to a chair in the middle of her tower. “I know,” she responded softly. “And I love you too, Eugene,” she added, leaning against him slightly. His hand found her waist and held her close. 

Silence fell between them, but it wasn’t awkward. Rapunzel was glad that they were able to talk out their differences so easily, even if they didn’t completely agree in the end. It was comforting to know that Eugene was willing to listen to Rapunzel and be there for her, no matter what.

“Are you still up for that date?” Eugene asked, his voice slightly teasing.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Rapunzel squeezed his hand. 

Eugene grinned at his girlfriend, and she returned the look. “That’s what I thought,” he replied, pulling her toward the water. 

Rapunzel giggled excitedly and followed him, relishing the feeling of the sand between her toes and the chill of the water once it touched her feet. 

Eugene nodded nonchalantly, but Rapunzel knew he was just pretending not to be excited. She raised an eyebrow at him, a slight smirk on her lips. His lips twitched, and he bit back a budding smile. “Unfair, Blondie,” he muttered, earning an eye roll and an elbow nudge from Rapunzel. 

“Are we going to go in the water, or just look at it?” Eugene said after a pause, bringing back the teasing tone. 

Rapunzel frowned, looking at Eugene’s outfit and then her ownーthough they were beach outfits, she wasn’t sure if they were fit for swimming. She shrugged to herself after a moment of thought, and bounced on her feet in anticipation. “Of course.”

Eugene smiled knowingly and nodded toward the water, repeating Rapunzel’s words from earlier. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm kind of a slow writer, so all of my fics in between certain episodes tend to be posted after said episodes. now that we're on hiatus, however, i can write something about Happiness Is... and not worry about it being too late lol.
> 
> today is the first of September, so don't forget to start celebrating Arianna Appreciation Month! if you don't have any idea what i'm talking about, Arianna Appreciation Month was created just a week or so ago to appreciate Queen Arianna, who is such an interesting character and doesn't get enough love! you can find more information/look at other people's contributions to Arianna Appreciation Month on tangledbea's tumblr: tangledbea.tumblr.com/tagged/Arianna-Appreciation-Month .
> 
> thanks so so much for reading, and i hope to update again soon!!! <3


	6. Without A Doubt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been eighteen years since Arianna last saw her daughter, and it’s time for the lost princess to come home. Takes place during the reunion scene in Tangled.

Arianna flipped the page of her book, thoroughly bored by its contents. Her eyes skimmed the words but her brain did not register them. She was distracted, as she always was when her daughter’s birthday rolled around.

It had been exactly eighteen years and one day since her daughter, Princess Rapunzel, was born, and just a few days less since she had been kidnapped. Even though almost two decades had passed and her daughter had not returned, Arianna kept hope. Logic told her that it was probably pointless, that a girl that had been kidnapped eighteen years before had little to no chance of ever being heard from again, but the mother in her refused to give up. She refused to give up on her only daughter, and she would continue to wait for her girl until the day she died.

Many times before had a young woman shown up at the castle, claiming to be the lost princess, but every time Arianna knew the woman was lying. None of them had the same face as her daughter, or the same green eyes that Arianna saw in her own reflection every day. Each time a new woman came to the palace claiming to be her daughter, a piece of Arianna’s heart broke. It hurt, every time, to take one look at one of those women and say, “You are not my daughter.” But still, she kept hope that one day her Rapunzel would return home. 

Her husband, Frederic, was seated next to her, also holding a book. He seemed to actually be reading it, however, and Arianna was surprised. Frederic also felt the pain of losing their daughter, Arianna knew, and he wore his emotions on his sleeve. He was the king, but Arianna was the strong one emotionally. She had grown up as a commoner, after all, and was not blind to the hardships that royalty had the fortune of never facing. She knew how to keep her pain to herself, and only when she was alone did she mourn Rapunzel. With Frederic, however, it was easy to tell when he was distracted, thinking about his lost daughter.

Arianna completely abandoned her book and turned to the floor-to-ceiling windows to her left instead, taking in the view of the kingdom and the water surrounding it. Most days, she had a lot of work to do as queen, but on the occasional instance where she had some time for herself, Arianna loved nothing more than reading by the window, letting the sunlight warm and comfort her. 

The doors banged open suddenly, and both Arianna and Frederic looked up to see a guard in the doorway, still holding the doors open with both hands. The man nodded once, eyes wide and breaths heavy. Right away, Arianna knew exactly what the wordless gesture meant.

Could it be…?

Arianna shot up, Frederic following. The book was abandoned on her seat, and the two of them bolted through the halls toward the balcony where they released a lantern on Rapunzel’s birthday every year.

Even though Arianna had met so many women claiming to be her daughter before, something about this instance felt _different_ to her. Maybe it was the way the guard had entered, not even bothering to knock. Maybe it was his expressionーshock and relief. Maybe it was the fact that it had been eighteen years since her daughter had been kidnapped, and it felt so _right_ for Rapunzel to finally return the day after she became an adult. 

The two of them paused on the steps leading up to the balcony doors, however, and Arianna turned toward her husband. He turned as well, and they locked eyes in a wordless exchange, offering each other support. After a moment, Frederic pushed the doors open and Arianna stood up straighter, taking a deep breath and preparing herself for whatever came next. 

There was a couple standing hand-in-hand on the balcony, turned toward the kingdom. The young man was wearing the clothes of a commonerーa teal vest and beige pants tucked into brown boots. He looked vaguely familiar, even from behind, but Arianna shook off the feeling. The young woman next to him had cropped brown hair and a simple purple dress. Arianna frowned. Her daughter was born with long, beautiful golden hair, which this girl did not have. 

But…she had been so sure this time. She had actually felt _hope_ , for the first time in so long, that their daughter had returned.

Heart plummeting, Arianna began to turn away, tears beginning to form, but something deep in her gut made Arianna pause. She took a few hesitant steps forward, hope budding in her chest.

The couple turned upon hearing Arianna’s footsteps, and the young woman dropped the man’s hand, stepping forward. Arianna followed suit, studying the young woman’s face. Her eyes were full of disbelief and recognition, and Arianna felt a relieved smile touch her lips. The girl’s chocolate brown hair was familiar, as was the heart shape of her face. Her eyesーArianna would recognize them anywhere, because they were exactly like hers.

It had been years since she had seen her daughter, sure, but a mother would recognize her child anywhere. This girl, this _woman_ in front of Arianna looked so much like herself that she felt tears gathering in her eyes. She reached a hand out to the young woman, cupping her face, and the two shared a relieved laugh. 

Staring into the bright green eyes that mirrored her own, Arianna knew that, without a doubt, this young woman was the princess of Corona. Her daughter.

_Rapunzel._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know i just updated yesterday, but i wanted to post this chapter as soon as i finished. this is my contribution to Arianna Appreciation Month! it’s shorter than usual, but i like it as it is and i don’t really see the need to add more. 
> 
> happy Arianna Appreciation Month everyone!! and thanks so much for all of the kudos and comments, i’m so grateful for all of the feedback <3


	7. Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Eugene's wedding day is approaching, and the two couldn't be any more excited. Set after Tangled: The Series and before Tangled Ever After.

Eugene blinked his eyes open, pulling his sleep mask off and frowning at whatever interrupted his sleep. He sat up and glanced around, noting the closed curtains and quiet room. What could have woken him up?

A familiar knock sounded at his door, consisting of four short taps. _Rapunzel. Of course._ Eugene rose to his feet, straightened his shirt, and pulled the door open. 

As suspected, Rapunzel was on the other side, her emerald eyes lighting up when the door opened. “Hey,” Eugene supplied, lips turning upward, and gestured her inside. She wrapped her hands around his bicep and led him back into the room, plopping down onto the bed. After a split second, however, she shot back up again and bit her lip excitedly. 

“So…” she started, staring at him expectantly. 

“So…” he parroted, pretending not to know what she was going to say. 

“Eugene,” Rapunzel replied, giggling. God, he loved the way his name sounded on her lips. “Don’t you remember? We’re getting married tomorrow!” She bounced on her feet excitedly.

“Of course I remember,” Eugene replied breathlessly, for lack of a better response. He knew it was hardly an adequate response in such an important situation, but what could he say? Getting _married_ was such a strange idea to him, still, after years of avoiding commitment. The idea was foreign and yet, it felt so _right_ that Rapunzel was the one he was going to be reciting his vows to. 

Rapunzel grinned, understanding his lack of a wordy response, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. She pulled away after a second, but Eugene locked his arms around her waist and pulled her back to him. 

Rapunzel sighed against his mouth, the noise vibrating in Eugene’s ears, and he pulled her even closer. He let himself get lost in the kiss, thinking only about the warmth of her mouth and the fact that after tomorrow, he’d get to do this for the rest of his life. Not that he needed to get married to know that he was Rapunzel’s and she was his, but he knew it would feel good to tell people that she was his wife and that nothing could keep them apart. 

“I love you,” Rapunzel said, pulling away. “I’m so excited!” She slipped her hands into his and swung them a little. 

“Believe me, Blondie,” Eugene said, chuckling. “I’m excited too.” 

Rapunzel looked up at him for a beat before sighing and shaking her head, a small smile touching her lips. “Eugene Fitzherbert, that can’t be all. I know you’re just pretending that it’s not the most exciting thing that’s ever happened.”

Eugene laughed through his nose. “What do you want me to say? That I’m so glad you finally said yes after three years of asking?” 

Rapunzel rolled her eyes playfully. “Just tell me how you feel! You’re going to be the prince consort, you know. And we’re going to have kids someday!”

An image of Eugene sitting on the throne, beside Rapunzel, with a kid on each knee popped into his head, and he gave his girl a smile. “I’m ecstatic, okay? Seriously.” He paused, and Rapunzel picked up on his uncertainty instantly. “But I’m also nervous. Getting married is kind of a scary idea, you know?”

Rapunzel smiled warmly, squeezing his hands, and Eugene felt himself melt. She had an uncanny way of doing that. 

“It’s okay to be nervous, Eugene. I’d be lying if I said _I_ wasn’t nervous also.” 

_I just don’t want to mess it up_ , he thought, and it was clear Rapunzel could practically hear his thoughts by the way her face softened. “It’s alright,” she said. “You’ll always have me by your side. We can face _anything_ together.”

The last sentence was firm and full of confidence, and Eugene knew she was right. Look at how far they’d come, after all! So much had happened in the three years since he’d climbed her tower, and yet here they were, a day away from their wedding. 

“Together,” Eugene repeated firmly. Rapunzel gave him a satisfied grin and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. 

Rapunzel’s gaze suddenly shifted to the open door, and Eugene turned to see what had captured her attention. Cass was standing in the doorway, already dressed in her lady-in-waiting outfit. “There you are, Raps,” she said, and made a beckoning motion with her arm. “The seamstresses need you to make a few last-minute touches on your gown.”

“Oh, right!” Rapunzel exclaimed, and gave Eugene another peck. She smiled apologetically. “I’ll see you later.”

“See you, Blondie,” Eugene replied, watching as Rapunzel practically skipped out of the room. Cass sent him a small smile in greeting and followed Rapunzel. Though Eugene couldn’t stand Cassandra when they had first met, he now considered her one of his best friends. Rapunzel liked to say that Eugene and Cass were like siblings—they quarreled a lot but would defend each other without hesitation. 

Eugene was left to his own thoughts, the sound of Rapunzel’s and Cass’s footsteps receding. He closed the door to get dressed, knowing that one of the various palace employees would eventually summon him for last-minute preparations. 

The last few weeks had been full of wedding preparationsーreally, the last few _months_. Ever since Rapunzel had announced their engagement over breakfast, the whole kingdom had been setting up decorations and making gifts and arranging festivities. Frankly, the last few months had been exhausting for Eugene, but it was worth it. Everything he had gone through in the last three years was worth being able to watch Rapunzel walk down the aisle toward him.

Eugene opened the window, relishing the mid-morning breeze. When he, Rapunzel, and their friends had returned to the palace, he’d been offered a new room, one with towering ceilings and its very own balcony. Eugene had turned down the offer, however, since he’d grown attached to his own room. Plus, he knew he’d have to move into Rapunzel’s room eventually, when they married, so he had decided to stay, at least for a little while, in the room he’d had since moving into the castle as a newly pardoned criminal. 

The sky was Eugene’s favorite kind of skyーsoft and blue and full of familiarity. Full of promise. Eugene let himself, for the thousandth time since he’d first imagining a life with Rapunzel, picture the day that was approaching. Tomorrow, he’d wear a fancy cream-colored suit and stand at the altar. Tomorrow, he’d awake as a boyfriend and fall asleep as a husband. Tomorrow, the love of his life would be his wife, and he would be hers forever.

Rapunzel was his new dream, and he had every intention of making his dream come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm super sorry it took me so long to update! this chapter was actually pretty hard to write. i took a break for a few days when i was about halfway through, because i had no idea how to continue. but here it is! i'm actually pretty proud of it. :)
> 
> it's been two and a half weeks since Happiness Is... came out, and i already miss the show so freaking much. in the meantime, i'll be working on school and writing! :) 
> 
> also, i made a ffn account as well! all it has on it right now is this collection of one-shots, but i'm hoping to start something else as well. you can find me at https://www.fanfiction.net/u/11167324/yourroyalblondeness .
> 
> thanks so much for reading!! <3


	8. Someday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flynn Rider had seen plenty of strange things in his life. But none of those experiences prepared him to come across a mermaid. An actual mer-freaking-maid. AU, Flynn and Rapunzel meet for the first time.

The water was so peaceful this time of day, the gentle lapping of the waves soothing to Rapunzel. She broke the surface of the water and glanced toward the setting sun, watching as it left a trail of fire along the horizon. 

Rapunzel had no idea how many sunsets she’d seen in her life, but she knew that each and every one of them was special. These ones were her favorite, however—when the air was warm and the sky danced with reds and oranges.

Technically, she was past the boundaries of her kingdom, and she knew that there would be consequences if her father found out that she was out this far, but Rapunzel couldn’t help herself. She loved the view up above. She longed to explore the world she was missing out on. 

Of course, there were stories of the horrible things that waited for any mermaid or merman who ventured outside of the kingdom of Corona—ruffians and pirates and _humans_. Rapunzel had grown up hearing the tales of the outside world, and frankly, when she first heard the stories, she had been terrified. But her curiosity overwhelmed her fear eventually, and Rapunzel began to yearn to know what lay beyond her kingdom.

There were hundreds of islands above Corona, only some of which had been deemed safe by Rapunzel’s parents, the king and queen. The island Rapunzel was currently approaching was _not_ one of these islands, and it was outside of the boundaries, but it was big and beautiful and had a little cove that Rapunzel just loved to explore. Flicking her tail a little faster, she sped toward the island, the cool water cocooning her body. 

She found the cove easily, having been there many times before, and pulled herself up onto the ledge. Her finger traced a ridge in the wall, a product of Rapunzel’s last visit to the cove. She loved to carve things into the walls—anything she’d seen that day, anything she’d been dreaming about. The cove was the place where she could express herself, and the place where she felt at home. 

She loved her kingdom and her parents very much. That wasn’t the issue. It was the longing she felt, for whatever lay beyond Corona, for the adventures that were waiting for her. She wanted to see the sunsets without fear of getting caught. She didn’t really believe the stories of the humans that lived on land, the ones with pointy teeth, who ate merpeople for breakfast. How could anyone know what humans were really like, if they had never seen one before? How could anyone know what was beyond the kingdom if no one ever left?

An unfamiliar sound scattered Rapunzel’s thoughts. The quiet sound of the sea lapping upon itself was gone, replaced with a less rhythmic crash. Rapunzel froze, listening for the sound, preparing her next move. When the sound only got louder, she slowly peeked her head out of the cave, scanning the water for any sign of whatever was making the noise. 

Something was approaching the island, and Rapunzel’s blood ran cold. Was that a _ship_? 

But no, it was so small! From where she was, it looked as though it was only about twice as large and she was. The stories Rapunzel had heard about ships described them as massive transports that humans used to travel from place to place. Since they did not have powerful tails like merpeople, they created these huge ships to carry them to wherever they needed to go. Rapunzel had never seen one in real life before, and they were somehow so different from what she had imagined. 

The ship—or whatever it was—loomed closer and closer, and it suddenly occurred to Rapunzel that if the ship came any closer, she could be spotted. Humans believed that the existence of merpeople was a myth, and Rapunzel was taught that it needed to stay that way. 

Secretly, though, Rapunzel was fascinated about humans. Not much was known about them, and that made them all the more interesting. For as long as she could remember, Rapunzel had longed to learn more about these mysterious humans. Longed to find out for herself if all the rumors about humans were really true. 

The sky was now the same color as the depths of the sea, the moon casting a familiar glow on the waves. The ship was now only a shadow in the darkness, but Rapunzel could still see it clearly, making its way in her direction. 

There was a figure on the ship. A _human_. And it was getting increasingly closer with each passing second. 

Rapunzel tucked herself back into the cove, waiting to see if the ship would pass the island. The sound got louder and louder and the ship drew closer until Rapunzel heard the sound she had been both hoping for and dreading: the boat scraping against the sand. 

_The human was here. On the island_. 

What could the human possibly be doing way out here?

If her parents knew she was this close to a human, she’d be in so much trouble. But maybe they didn’t have to know. 

Rapunzel swam out of the cove and toward the shore of the island, careful to keep her tail under the water. The ship was pushed up onto the sand and the human was standing just a few feet away, his back turned to Rapunzel. _She was so close_. 

Her father’s voice in her head was trying to convince her to swim away from the danger, but she did not heed the warning. She gazed at the human, who looked just like a merman, but with two long limbs where the tail should be—legs, she remembered. And he was wearing clothes. How strange!

Rapunzel inched closer and flicked her tail lightly to get the human’s attention. The human whipped around to locate the source of the noise, and the first thing Rapunzel noticed was the odd golden-brown of his eyes. 

Their eyes met. 

-

Flynn Rider had seen plenty of strange things in his life. He’d lived in an orphanage for half of it, after all. Orphanages definitely could produce some weird occurrences. And the other half of his life had been spent everywhere, running from the law and stealing just about everything you could imagine. There couldn’t have been anything he _hadn’t_ seen. 

But yet, Flynn stood, on this godforsaken island in the middle of nowhere, jaw in the sand, staring at what looked like a woman with the longest hair he’d ever seen and an impressive ability to float halfway above the water. Honestly, he couldn’t see very well, the moon giving just enough light for him to see a few yards in front of him. 

The woman—girl, really; she couldn’t have been any older than eighteen—also looked at him with shock and fascination. Her huge green eyes were framed with the longest and darkest eyelashes he’d ever seen. All of her features were soft—doe eyes, plump lips, a heart-shaped face. Without breaking eye contact, the girl cautiously swam closer. Even in the dark, Flynn spotted the tail that emerged from the water. 

A _tail_. 

Flynn cursed and stumbled backward, and the girl flinched. She bit her lip worriedly and hid her tail, but Flynn had already seen it. She was a _mermaid_. 

But mermaids weren’t real! They were a myth made up by fishermen and sailors. They were the most beautiful creatures on the planet and they could kill a man with their song. And they _weren’t real_. 

Then why was one floating right in front of him?

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” the mermaid said timidly, backing away apologetically. 

“Is that all _hair_?” 

Flynn could have smacked himself. Apparently, his brain wasn’t working. But who could blame him? It wasn’t everyday a guy happened across a mermaid. Even one with his unfailing luck. 

The mermaid ducked her head, tugging on a golden lock. “Yeah,” she replied after a beat of hesitation. “I’ve never cut it.”

 _Never_ cut it? Maybe fifty-something feet of hair was normal for a mermaid. How was he supposed to know? “Huh,” he responded lamely. 

“Who are you?” the mermaid asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. “And how did you find me?”

“I…” _Get it together, Flynn. Pretend she’s just a regular girl. Ignore the hair and ignore the tail._ He’d just have to charm her like he did every other normal woman. “The name’s Flynn Rider. How’s your day going?” he responded, laying on the charm and adding a devil-may-care grin for good measure. 

Surprisingly, the mermaid’s reaction was not at all what he had expected. She merely raised an eyebrow and glanced around confusedly. 

He sighed and walked a few steps closer, now only a foot away from the shoreline. Did mermaids not know what flirting was? Maybe this one was just socially awkward. 

The mermaid backed up slowly, seeming as though she had forgotten to be cautious until this moment. “Are you alone? Who else knows our location?”

 _Our? Perhaps there are other mermaids._ “ ‘Are you alone?’ ” he parroted. “What do you think?” He gestures to the island. “I don’t see anyone besides the two of us, Blondie.”

“Rapunzel,” she said, a bit exasperatedly.

“Gesundheit,” he responded, hoping for a giggle at the very least, but her eyebrow shot up again. Oh well. 

“Alright,” he continued, one hand on his hip. “I was being chased, so I stole a boat and rowed here. End of story.”

“You’re telling the truth?” The mermaid—Rapunzel—still looked skeptical. She twisted a lock of hair around her finger. 

“ _Yes_ ,” Flynn responded, matching her exasperated tone from a few moments before. Why else would he be on an island in the middle of nowhere, talking to a mermaid? God, was he going crazy?

Rapunzel hummed thoughtfully, hair still dancing around her slender finger. Her emerald eyes searched his brown ones, and Flynn squirmed under her gaze. It felt as though she was seeing straight through him, reading his mind and knowing his every move.

“Something brought you here, Flynn Rider,” she said finally, propping herself up so that only her fin was in the water. “Call it what you will: fate, destiny—”

“A boat,” he deadpanned. 

“So I have made the decision to trust you,” she continued, ignoring him. 

Flynn blinked. Trust a criminal? Maybe _she_ was the one going crazy. “A horrible decision, really.”

Rapunzel exhaled long and slow. “I will help you,” she replied firmly. “I will help you get to wherever you need to go, and in return you will forget that you ever met me.”

Flynn snorted. “I don’t need your help. I made it to this island by myself, and I can make it off this island by myself.”

Rapunzel nodded slowly, and a look of warning flashed across her pretty face. “You need to promise me that you will not tell anyone you saw me. Anyone. At. All.”

Flynn threw his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. I won’t tell anyone about you.”

She studied him for a long time, possibly trying to decide if she could trust him or not. Finally, she said, “Goodbye, Flynn,” and a look of disappointment flashed across her face with the words. Flynn bit back a smirk. Maybe he _had_ managed to charm her. 

“See you around, Blondie,” he replied, and laughed when she glared warningly in response. “Just joking.”

Without another word, he made his way to the boat he’d stolen, feeling Rapunzel’s eyes on him to entire time. When he turned the boat around in her direction, however, the mermaid was already gone, nothing more than a ripple in her wake. 

She’d made him promise to forget her, but he honestly didn’t think he ever could. He’d keep it to himself, though, for both of their sakes. People would think he was crazy if he said something about meeting a mermaid, and if they _did_ happen to believe him, then Rapunzel and her other mermaid friends—which he presumed existed—would be hunted and probably turned into trophies. 

Flynn hoped the map that he had stowed in the boat was an accurate one. In all of the many escapades he’d made over the years, running from the law, not once had he taken a boat to escape. It was slightly unsettling, to say the least—not knowing if he’d ever make it back on land again. But Flynn Rider was a daredevil, a risk-taker, and he was nothing if not foolhardy. 

After determining exactly which he was to go, Flynn let his mind wander back to the mermaid. Though he had enjoyed the fairytales he’d heard about mermaids while at the orphanage as a kid, getting older made him realize they were a load of baloney. Of course, now that he’d actually met one he knew they were true—at least some of them were. Rapunzel definitely had been beautiful; that much had been true. But did she have the ability to sing a man to his death? If she did, Flynn was glad to have escaped before she had a chance to. 

Even though he had no reason to, Flynn started to imagine meeting Rapunzel again. There was just something about her that fascinated him, but he had no idea what that _something_ was. God, he hoped she hadn’t put some sort of spell on him. How would he know if she had, anyway?

As he rowed away from his past and into the future, he wondered if it was possible that he’d ever see Rapunzel again. His gut was telling him, for some odd reason, that he _would_ see her again.

Someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been almost a month since I updated, and I’m so sorry! Life is just crazy, what with school and all that it entails. So here’s this update, just in time for Tangledtober Day 9: Alternative Universe! This one was actually really hard to write ;w; It felt super weird writing ‘Flynn’ instead of ‘Eugene’, but he’s Flynn at this point in the story. 
> 
> Hope this was worth the long wait! Thanks so much to all of my returning readers, you guys are the best! <3


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